Broken Vows

Chapter Ten

Nathan

I laid down my pen after signing the last document that sat on my desk for a couple of days now. My back is aching and I cannot feel my hands. I tried moving my neck but I cannot move it without flinching at the pain it shoots towards my back. I looked outside and found the sun slowly setting on the horizon. Afternoon already? I hardly noticed it. I must focused to much on my work that I lost track of time.

I didn't realize signing documents was this tiring. Especially when they piled up on your desk and left it for days. By the time I went back to work, it looked like the miniature of the skyscrapers of Barcelona. Back in the days, I don't have this much paper works. Back when Alana is still around. Before she became my girlfriend, Alana used to be my secretary. She took her work seriously. She took care of my paperworks, arranged my schedule, take my calls and served me the best coffee in the world. I never missed any meetings and appointments because she manages my time very well. She was a very efficient woman and smart too. But after she's gone, everything was a mess.

Where on earth did my father hid Alana?

I rose from my seat and head towards the window. The sun is brilliantly setting behind the tall buildings outside the city. Golden rays are trying to escape through the gaps between the buildings casting its final elegance on earth. Darkness will soon engulf this city. Yet, the city has no plans on yeilding into it. One by one, the streetlights was lit up. The buildings too, started switching on their lights as well as the cars. It was magnificent. Slowly, the city came to life and fought back the darkness that threatened to swallow the city.

My phone buzzed inside my pocket, snatching my attention away from the setting sun. My brows autatically creased as my father's name flashed on the screen.

What does he want now?

I didn't like it when my father calls me. When he does, it's either I've done something wrong or he wants something done and I've got a bad feeling about this. I took a deep breath before taking his call.

"What is it?" I kept my tone plain, masking the irritation behind.

"See me in my office. Right now." Came his demanding voice. As always.

"I have other plans..." I tried to reason out but he cut me off eventually.

"My office. Now."Then he hunged up.

It took me all my strength to calm myself down before I could flung my phone on the wall. As much as possible, I wanted to keep my distance from my father. I avoided his calls and didn't attend family dinners. Eversince the engagement I've never talked to him longer than five minutes. I'm still mad as hell. I cannot bear to be near with the man who took everything away from me.

No matter how I disliked the idea of seeing him right now, I don't have any choice. Sooner or later, I still have to face him. Nothing will change. Prolonging the inevitable will only allow complications and the chances of more  misunderstandings occuring between us.

The Polaveja mansions is thirty minute drive away from my office. Located in the middle of a vast plantation of grapes, the mansions stood tall and proud. Even from afar, the impressive architecture illuminated by the lights from the outside never cease to amaze people. My ancestors must have been very wealthy to afford this kind structure. Even to this present day, I doubt my father would afford the amount spent on labor and the materials. Gods, who knows if the materials used still exists today. If my father would ever happen to put this on sale someday, I swear, buyers from all across the globe will came flocking on our doorsteps. But alas! We were nothing but caretakers of this ancient house, bound to an ancient promise to never sell this house.

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I didn't even bother on knocking, I just want to get over this and be gone, as soon as possible. I pushed the double doors and stepped inside. The scent of the decaying books instantly hit my nostrils. I despised books as a boy, buy its the only place in this house that provide me plenty of hours to sleep, so its kind of nostalgic. Ali(my mom) would never search this room because she knows, I hate reading. Shelves of books that almost reached the ceilings greeted me. A mischievous grin was drawn on my face as I remember myself sleeping on the farthest corner of this room where the scent of the books is overwhelming, and let my mom and her servants look for me for a whole day.

I found my father sitting behind his prized mahogany table, looking gloomy like he always do. The uneasiness I felt earlier came back as his eyes rested on me.

For a moment no one dared to speak. He kept his icy gaze towards me and I felt like looking directly into my own eyes. It is the only feature that I got from him. One can easily distinguish me as a Polaveja because of this feature, this silver eyes.

He broke away and went to search his drawers. He rummaged through his this before pulling out a bunch of photos and laid it down on the table. I took the photos and examined it but eventually, regretted it.

I didn't need to see all the photos to fully understand the reason he called me this library he calls "office". I knew this day would come.

"You have me followed?" I balled my fists trying to keep myself from hitting something.

"No. Not that I intended to." He simply said. "I see you're having a good time here."

"You stay out of my private life."

"For thirty years of being married to your mom, cheating never crossed my mind" His teasing tone only made my irratation unbearable. "Never have I imagined myself being in the arms of another woman. And yet here you are, casually kissing other woman after only six months of being married. Seriously, is that how we raised you?".

"We're not on the same boat." I cannot justify my faults but we are not the same.

"You still don't understand the weight of responsibilty you are carrying, punk. Cease this nonsense at once or you'll never see your precious Alana ever again." My ears immediately picked up, upon the mention of her name. Like a dog that heard his master's voice, i wagged my tail and came closer to him.

"What did you do to her? Where is she?" A rather stupid questions because I knew I wont be getting any answers but I asked nonetheless.

"Take good care of Henry's daughter, Nathan. You are dismissed." His tone hints finality. All of a sudden he changed from a strict father into cruel boss.

Having no chance in prevailing, I stormed out of his office. I ignored everything around me and was too eager to get out of the mansions. I tried to keep my pressure under control but I can't. I needed to hit something or else I'd go crazy. How dare he use Alana as a leverage! All this time, he is keeping information about Alana. He knew where she is, while I spend most of my time trying to unearth anything that has to do with her. All of that is futile.

Before finally exiting the mansions, I eyed the vase that sit idly beside the massive main doors. Without much thinking, I took it and smashed it on the marble floors. The impact was so satisfying that I felt good. The poor vase shattered into thousands of small pieces, I didn't care. Even if it was one of father's favorite vases, I didn't care. So long as my need to break something is satisfied, I'm good.

Now that I finally calmed down, I adjusted my tie. I strengthened my suit and took a deep breath. I cleared my mind and finally remembered, I have an event to attend.

I must go now, my wife must be waiting.

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A/n

Nathan's mind is a mess. Pardon for typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.

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---Maiah